Chelsea vs Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[coreyfeldman]

we've still a decent enough points return, but we definitely have the feel of a team figuring itself out but i think that's not suprising given the circumstances.

If you want to be glass half full about it, we at least have the feel of a team that can and have clicked, as opposed to Chelsea or ManU, who don't even look like a team that have met eachother before. We're just annoyingly inconsistent about it.

i think it's just a balanced view - we've lost our defensive leader and another key player to injury in the first week, been without 2 of our other most creative and consistent players whilst bedding in new ones. any team would be thrown a little, and the points tally speaks for itself

[AV84]

we've still a decent enough points return, but we definitely have the feel of a team figuring itself out but i think that's not suprising given the circumstances.

If you want to be glass half full about it, we at least have the feel of a team that can and have clicked, as opposed to Chelsea or ManU, who don't even look like a team that have met eachother before. We're just annoyingly inconsistent about it.

i think it's just a balanced view - we've lost our defensive leader and another key player to injury in the first week, been without 2 of our other most creative and consistent players whilst bedding in new ones. any team would be thrown a little, and the points tally speaks for itself

I know, I was agreeing with you. Just pointing out that despite the wobbles, we have at least shown at times that we can click as a team and play really well. Unlike certain other teams who are still trying to figure out how to make their squads into a team.

[Skerra]

Chelsea have been really poor this season so I don’t expect them to beat us by more than 1 goal. We seem to be reverting to “need a win desperately, don’t panic as Villa is our next match”. Wonder how long it’ll be before someone pops up here to say Watkins will definitely score? I’d start Duran personally, at least he can put himself about a bit.

[PaulWinch again]

Chelsea have been rubbish but they still have a lot of talented players. If we play like we did last night we’ll lose and probably heavily. Hopefully last night will be the final time this season where we essentially play with no midfield. We need to be so much better in this.

[Nev]

Despite this two bit, Johnny come lately, dodgy money, no history, media bullshit outfit looking a bit shit, they're not that shit so it's still a tough game but we go there for a win. The biggest issue is our defence, so Pau back in alongside Konsa with Cash and Frank Marino as full backs. That should be solid enough for us to build on during the game and after last night I would start with Rockin' All Over The World and Jhon for Kamara and Watkins. The latter looks way off form, he'll get it back but at the moment a rest might be the best thing.

1-2

[ChicagoLion]

The defence is beginning to worry me, we don’t have the platform upon which Emery built last seasons success.
It’s hard to distinguish between Torres and Langallet , they both look vulnerable to pace. Cash and Digne are not great defensively.

[Hillbilly]

Whichever team scores first wins.

[Villafirst]

Our best formation without Mings is a back 3 of Konsa, Carlos and Torres with Cash and Digne/Moreno as advanced full backs. This worked great at Burnley. The key obviously is the fitness of Diego Carlos - a minor hamstring injury? Will he be available this Sunday? Emery has been vague on the injury 'not a big injury' he said after Liverpool.

[eamonn]

Whichever team scores first wins.

What if no one does? 

[Monty]

Please win.

[London Villan]

The defence is beginning to worry me, we don’t have the platform upon which Emery built last seasons success.
It’s hard to distinguish between Torres and Langallet , they both look vulnerable to pace. Cash and Digne are not great defensively.

It's a total mess at the moment. Carlos looked ok - but he is no Mings, and is now injured anyway. We need to sort it quickly, otherwise the season is going to run away from us.

[brontebilly]

Martinez
Cash, Konsa, Torres, Moreno
McGinn, Donk, Luiz, Ramsey
Diaby, Watkins

[RamboandBruno]

Martinez
Cash, Konsa, Torres, Moreno
McGinn, Donk, Luiz, Ramsey
Diaby, Watkins

Yea I’d go with that.

[Skerra]

Villafirst, it’s the usual Villa speak….small injury really means out for most of the season!

[Nev]

Looking for omens and last seasons Guardian preview of this game focussed on some no-mark Chelsea player in a piece that looked like it had come from a fan website. We gubbed 'em.

Now, it's all about the left back position at Chelsea, a topic on everyone's lips I'm sure.

Let's hope history repeats itself.